Rock the mothership
Slot Machine’s ultimate concert was a sight and sound show to behold
Last Saturday, Thai rock band Slot Machine proved why they’re one of the best local acts of the era. Performing in their uniform three-piece suits and fancy suede outfits at Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani, their “Chang Music Connection Presents Slot Machine — The Mothership Live” concert was definitely a spectacle to behold.
It was promoted as the band’s ultimate concert — and it showed. For two-and-a-half hours inside the completely packed arena they called “The Mothership”, singer Karinyawat “Foet” Durongkijakarn, guitarist Janewit “Vit” Chanpanyawong, bassist Athirat “Gak” Pinthong and drummer Setharat “Auto” Pangjunant took the audience into a whole new world — playing 26 songs and going full-on staging, lighting, fireworks and visuals.
The long and oddly shaped stage (which looked like it was inspired by alien crop circles), was broken into three main sections with each stage having its own unique and jaw-dropping lighting and visual design. A few gimmicks were so impressive — like the folding and hovering lighting rack centre stage — that you could barely focus on the song playing.
After an introductory video, which took the crowd on a journey through the depths of the universe, the curtains dropped, the crowd screamed and the band kicked off with one of their most famous songs, Chan Chao ( Goodbye). Playing two more songs Foet, in his usual 1950s gangster attire consisting of an impeccable three-piece suit, large shades and a white scarf, greeted the crowd and thanked them for entering “The Mothership”. He then addressed foreigners in the audience — specifically the Japanese, Singaporeans and Australians, then kicked off with Sky Burning Stars — a song from their latest Spin The World English language album.
From then on, the band moved to centre stage, where the jaw-dropping stage lights started to unfold. Lights and lasers dropped down from the ceiling and moved according to Foet’s movements while he sung in his high-pitched and powerful voice.
The show reached peak levels of impressiveness when the band performed Rudoo ( Seasons), where a montage of nature and natural disasters were being projected on a large screen on the main stage. Foet, with his hands, was interacting with the video. As he swiped his hand above his head, a giant hand appeared in the projection and changed the image. It kept going as more and more natural disasters ran through the video. Then he raised both hands in a triangle (Slot Machine’s sign) and clapped them together as everything went dark, as if the world had ended, and the audience went silent to let everything sink in.
After the rush of Rudoo, Slot Machine then moved to the third stage for a slower and more relaxed acoustic set. As the band disappeared for a small break, Kerb — the band’s touring guitarist, played an acoustic cover of Pause’s 1996 song Rak Ter Tang Mod Kong Hua Jai ( Loving You With All My Heart) to the excitement of the crowd and the confusion of those who didn’t know who Kerb was. At the end of the song, Slot Machine came back on stage and joined in. Again, the lighting was top notch. Orbs of lights floated and moved above the stage, in different shapes and colours for each song. After a small break and a bit of some charming banter with the crowd, Foet asked everyone to turn on their phone lights, lighting up the arena like a sky full of stars as the band played Kum Keun Tee Dieaw Dai ( Lonely Night).
Ending the acoustic set, the band ran back to the main stage and started playing their most famous and fast paced songs. The audience, who were curiously passive throughout whole show, finally started getting up and moving. As they played Kleum ( Day Dream), Yon ( Going Back) and Roong ( Rainbow), the arena was filled with joy and energy. Ending the show with their megahit Pahn ( Yesterday), fireworks and a giant burst of confetti, the audience felt musically and visually fed.